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I feel like I always see 「しまう」 at the end of sentences (not the verb "to put
away"). I saw some examples here [on
Weblio.](http://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E3%81%A9%E3%81%86%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E3%82%82%EF%BD%9E%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%86)

> どうしても写真は実物より劣ってしまう。 Pictures really don't do it justice.
>
> 私はどうしても彼を目で追ってしまう。 No matter what happens I keep following him with my eyes.
>
> 「私の場合、どうしても溝口健二と比べてしまう。」 I can't help but compare him to Kenji MIZOGUCHI.'

I thought it's basically like 'can't help but', but then the first example
seems different.

Anyone have more examples of this? What exactly does it mean?


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2014-12-25T08:12:42.257
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2014-12-25T19:44:44.573
2014-12-25T19:44:44.573
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question
grammar subsidiary-verbs
「しまう」 as an auxiliary verb


This use of しまう is like adding "regrettably", or "unfortunately". It means
that the action given in the て form is not a good thing.

The fact that pictures don't do somebody justice is not a good thing. So they
end the sentence with しまう.

ああいう話{はな}し方{かた}は、人の年齢{ねんれい}をさらけだしてしまう。

"That style of speaking reveals a person's true age, unfortunately".

This means that there are bad overtones to the person's age becoming known.
For example, the style of speaking reveals that he/she is too old or too young
in the speaker's opinion.


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2014-12-25T08:35:07.527
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2014-12-25T08:35:07.527
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answer


I think the most basic meaning in English is "wind up" or "end up".

That seems to work for all of your sentences:

> どうしても写真は実物より劣ってしまう。

Somehow the photo always winds up being inferior to the real thing.

> 私はどうしても彼を目で追ってしまう。

I always somehow wind up following him with my eyes.

> 「私の場合、どうしても溝口健二と比べてしまう。」

In my case, I always somehow end up comparing him with Kenji MIZOGUCHI.

* * *

I think there's sometimes a sense of disappointment as suggested in the other
answer, but I don't think that's ubiquitous (If I'm wrong, I look forward to
learning).


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2014-12-25T12:20:24.537
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answer